James And Mary
by Ghostwriter
Summary: When an old interest of Casey's appears at Sir Sparrow Thompson High, she goes into private school dating rituals to win him over.
1. A Day Like Any Other

JAMES AND MARY

AUTHOR'S NOTE/DISCALIMER

Okay, I have absolutely no idea where this idea came from, but for some reason I've been obsessing with the GG character Tristan DuGray and the nickname he gave Rory which was "Mary", meaning she was a good girl. This in turn made me think of what would happen if private school rituals for dating were different than public school rituals and this whacky, crazy fic was born. Despite the name, this is **not** a crossover, though Tristan will be mostly Tristan with a bit of Lucas Scott in him. Takes place in current season after the episode "Just Friends". Tristan and Casey had started expressing interest in each other before she found out that Nora was remarrying. I was under the impression that Casey's old school was a private school, so I'm going with that. And for this fic, Nora had gone to the same school when she was Casey's age and from what I recall from the flashback in 'The Wedding', they still wore regular clothes. The character of Tristan DuGray belongs to Amy Sherman-Palladino, I'm just borrowing him and Chilton. LWD belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. James is from James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause. For this fic, Casey's still on the squad. This is complete but I'm just uploading it a little at a time to see how well it does.

CHAPTER ONE

The boy huffed and threw his head back onto the seat's leather interior.

"This is lame. I don't want to go to this school. I mean, for one thing, it's in Canada," he whined as he watched the scenery go by. He couldn't believe this was happening. This was going to be such a drag. If only they weren't almost there…wherever this stupid school was.

"Tristan, I have had it with your antics. This is the fifth public school in four years you have gotten yourself thrown out of and I can't even take you to a private school anymore, even if I **am** Robert DuGray. This is the only school that would even **consider** taking you," his father snapped.

"But Dad, it really wasn't my fault this time," Tristan DuGray defended myself.

"Tristan, I don't want to hear it," his father said.

"But, Dad, I---" he began.

"Tristan, I am **this** close to sending you to military school," his father interrupted. Tristan shut up. Meanwhile, Casey MacDonald was in the middle of a good dream.

_"Oh, come on, Mary. Take a break. Live a little for once," Tristan DuGray said, knocking the book out of Casey's hands._

_"James!" she exclaimed, jumping up and placing her hands on her hips as she gave him a mock glare._

_"Come on. This joint fieldtrip's not gonna last for much longer. Don't you wanna---?" the sentence trailed off and he wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively._

_"Aren't you forgetting that I'm a Mary?" she questioned with a slight laugh. For an answer, he turned her around and pinned her against the wall. _

_"Well, this James wants this Mary," he murmured, letting a finger trail down her neck. She bit her bottom lip and leaned tilted her head upward to meet his lips._ BRRRRRING! Casey moaned at the sound.

"No. Bad alarm," she pouted. Then, she turned off her radio and got dressed. After a quick breakfast, she and her stepbrother, Derek Venturi, drove to Sir Sparrow Thompson High School. Once there, Casey went in search for best friend, Emily Davis while Derek went to look for his friends Sam Chambers and Ralph Waters.

"Hey, Case," Emily greeted. "What's the matter?" she continued, seeing her friend's upset look.

"How come alarms always have to interrupt a perfectly good dream?" Casey wondered.

"Ooooh. What happened?" Emily asked in interest.

"It was actually more like a memory. It was this joint fieldtrip that Fletcher took with our brother school Chilton, and there was this boy there---we were kind of into each other," Casey told her.

"So what happened?"

"We went to kiss and the alarm woke me up."

"Bummer." Meanwhile, still searching for his friends, Derek decided to hang out in the hallway. A few minutes later, he saw a boy around their age following his father into Principal Lassiter's office. _I wonder who that is_, he thought to himself. Then, finally finding his friends, he put the thought out of his mind and went to greet them. Minutes later, Casey and Emily were sitting in their first class, waiting for the teacher.

"Casey, what are we doing? Class doesn't start for another few minutes," Emily complained.

"I know, but---" Casey's voice trailed off as a blond-haired, blue-eyed young man walked into the classroom. "I don't believe it," she stated. The boy froze.

"What?" Emily asked. She turned in her seat to follow her friend's gaze.

"Tristan?" the first girl asked.

"Mary?" the boy queried.


	2. The New Boy

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. Tristan DuGray and Chilton belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino. I only own the plot. I made up the private school rules of dating. I use a variation of a line from the Saved By The Bell episode The Wicked Stepbrother Pt 1. Reference to The Wedding.

"Tristan!" Casey laughed, standing up. The two approached each other and embraced. "This is so weird! I just had a dream about our last joint fieldtrip," she told him.

"Oh, you mean the one where we---" Tristan began.

"Yeah," Casey confirmed. They laughed as the other students came in.

"Hey, who's the guy with Casey?" Sam whispered to Derek, who shrugged.

"So Casey, boring the new kid already?" he sneered. Then, "Hey, man. I'm Derek Venturi." Tristan merely raised his eyebrows at the offered hand. Then, he turned to Casey.

"Stepbrother?" he queried.

"Stepbrother," she confirmed.

"My condolences, Mary," he told her as they sat down.

"Oh, thanks, James," Casey said.

"James? I thought his name was Tristan. And why did he call you 'Mary'?" Emily questioned.

"It's a private school thing, Em," Casey answered. Then, "How did you know?"

"Ah, Victoria came back raving about some hot guy she met at her mom's wedding and when I pressed for details, she told me it was your stepbrother," Tristan replied.

"She still hung up on you?"

"Unfortunately." Casey laughed as Tristan rolled his eyes. All further conversation stopped when the teacher came in.

"Class, I've just been informed that we have a new student, Tristan DuGray. Tristan, would you please stand up and tell us a little bit about yourself?" the teacher requested. Tristan stood up.

"My name's Tristan DuGray and if I knew I'd eventually be reunited with my Mary, I would've gotten myself kicked out of Chilton a whole lot sooner," he stated. Then, he sat down.

"You got kicked out of Chilton? How do you---no wait. I don't wanna know," she stated. Tristan laughed. Then, they all turned to face the teacher. As the class went on, Tristan couldn't stop himself from staring at Casey. _Man, she's as beautiful as ever_, he thought longingly. But maybe she already had a guy here. After all, she had been in public school for the last four years. No one would expect her to play by private school rules. Casey bit her lip and forced herself to stare at the teacher, even though she knew Tristan was ogling her. _Wow. I can't believe he'd still be into me_, she thought with some excitement. It was perfectly acceptable by private school rules for a James to move on to a different Mary if the one targeted didn't show interest or was no longer there. She absentmindedly began twirling a lock of hair as she took notes. Tristan tried to hold back his groan. So not fair! Hearing the slight sound, Derek looked at the new boy in confusion. Why was he getting hot and bothered by **Casey** of all people? However, class was over before he could wonder about it. The rest of the morning was pretty much the same: Whenever they were in the vicinity of each other, Tristan and Casey would steal glances at each other, but not say anything. Finally, it was lunch time. Casey went to the lunch line to get her food.

"So, what's the deal between them?" Ralph wondered as he, Sam, and Derek also got in line.

"I think they went to the same private school or something," Derek answered.

"Dude, wasn't Fletcher an all-girls school?" Sam questioned. Ralph and Derek stared at him.

"You know the name of her old school?" the latter questioned.

"You know, if you'd take time to actually **listen** to a girl, you wouldn't have to be scrambling around on Monday to get a date for Friday," came the retort.

"Whatever. Look, I know I don't usually do this, but I'm going to give him a second chance to actually be somebody in this school," Derek commented.

"Dude, he's a friend of Casey's. If she's had a chance to tell him anything about you, he's gonna hate you on principle," Sam reminded him.

"Chills, once he realizes I'm saving him from geekdom, he'll be ecstatic to have me as a friend," Derek claimed, waving off his friend's protests. He cut in line until he was right behind them.

"Don't look now, but we got a stalker," Tristan murmured in Casey's ear. She looked over her shoulder.

"Well, I'd say ignore him, but it doesn't make him go away," she answered. He chuckled.

"Look, uh, Tristan, right? I think we got off on the wrong foot," Derek said.

"No, I think our first impressions of each other were just fine," Tristan responded. "I'm Casey's friend and you're her jerk of a stepbrother," he continued.

"Look man, I'm trying to get you in off the ground floor. I'm known as the top dog here," Derek stated, trying to keep his temper.

"You?" Tristan questioned. He laughed. "At our schools, you'd be considered puppy chow," he told him. Casey laughed. They got their lunches and went to sit a table, where they were soon joined by Emily.

"Hey, guys," she greeted.

"Oh, that reminds me, I haven't gotten a chance to introduce you guys. Emily, this is Tristan DuGray, Tristan, this is my best friend here Emily Davis," Casey introduced them.

"Nice to meet you," Emily said.

"Likewise," agreed Tristan.

"So, your schools were close to each other?" Emily questioned.

"Yeah. Chilton was the brother school to Fletcher," Casey replied. At their own table, Sam, Ralph, and Derek watched as the trio talked.

"Who does this guy think he is? Doesn't he care that I can make or break his standing here?" Derek fumed.

"I'm thinking 'no'," Sam replied. His eyes locked on Casey who threw her head back in laughter at something Tristan said. He sighed. Sometimes he missed having Casey as a girlfriend. But hey, at least they were still friends. Finally, the bell rang and they all went back to class. The rest of the day was the same until they all went home.

"Mom, we're home!" Casey announced.

"You don't have to shout, Spacey," Derek sneered.

"Oh, bite me," Casey shot back. Everyone stared at the un-Casey-like answer.

"How was your day?" Nora asked, changing the subject.

"Great. Except for the new boy in school," Derek answered.

"Oh, you're just mad 'cause he saw how transparent you are," Casey said.

"So, who was this new boy that can get on Derek's nerves so fast?" Lizzie wondered.

"I'll tell you guys at dinner. Right now, I've got homework," Casey replied.

"Keener."

"Puppy chow." Casey ran up the stairs, book bag in hand. A couple of hours later, they all sat down for dinner.

"So, Casey, you and Derek mentioned a new boy at school?" Nora queried.

"New boy? There was a new boy? How come I didn't know about this?" George questioned.

"Georgie, weren't you listening when they came home?" Nora chided lightly.

"Oh, right," George recalled with an embarrassed laugh. "So, what's his name?" he queried.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. He just turned out to be one of Spacey's old friends who wouldn't know cool if it slapped him in the face," Derek said derisively. "So, at lunch, Sam was saying---"

"Oh, Casey. Someone we knew is going to Sir Sparrow?" Nora questioned as Derek continued to talk to his father.

"Yeah. He's a real James," Casey answered. At this, Nora and Lizzie froze and looked at her.

"A James? A James is at your school?" Lizzie asked with excitement.

"The new boy's name was James?" Edwin queried. Marti and George looked equally confused.

"No, it was---" Derek began.

"Tristan," Casey interrupted. Nora and Lizzie smiled. The Venturis looked at Casey who was also beaming, then at each other. What was going on?


	3. Old Rituals

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

LizDarcy1: Thank you. Glad you think so. Thank you. Yeah, here's more.

DarkWolfYingFa: Cool. Glad you like it. Here's an update.

Princetongirl (Chs 1-2): Thanks. Thank you, hope this is soon enough.

Cherryblossomjen (Ch 1-2): Well, it's not a crossover as I said, but thanks. Yeah, I know what you mean. He was **way** better than Logan. Keep reading. Guess you'll have to read and find out. Yep. Thanks. Don't watch it so I'll take your word for it. Yep. Read on and see.

Thugalet: Thanks, hope this is soon enough.

CraneAndFalconForeven: Okey-doke.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television, Disney, and Amy Sherman-Palladino. I only own the plot. Couldn't resist putting in a couple of One Tree Hill refs as well as a ref to "The Bet".

"Tristan?" Nora repeated. "As in Chilton Tristan?" she continued.

"As in the James you were trying to snag before Mom got remarried?" Lizzie added before Casey could answer.

"Yeah. The very one," Casey responded. She let out a small laugh. "I couldn't believe it. I mean---after four years---who woulda thought?" she questioned, letting out another soft laugh and ducking her head shyly, an action that didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the family.

"You're still hot for him," Lizzie said. Then, "Casey likes Tristan, Casey likes Tristan!"

"Lizzie!" Casey exclaimed.

"So, Casey, what are your plans regarding Tristan?" George questioned.

"Oh, I'm going to de-Mary myself," Casey replied.

"De-what?" George repeated in horror. _That better not mean what I think it means_, he thought to himself.

"De-Mary myself. You know, spruce up my looks to attract him," Casey repeated.

"Huh. Good luck," Derek scoffed.

"Do you remember where you left off?" Nora queried.

"Oh, yeah. Like it was yesterday," Casey assured.

"Nora, shouldn't you and I discuss this?" George suggested.

"No, Georgie. It's fine. De-Mary-ing is when a girl abandons her look and takes on the look of the James she's trying to attract. It's a whole ritual. Even **I** went through it," Nora explained.

"So, if you're used to that kind of behavior, why'd you get freaked out by Casey when she dressed like that guy Trevor?" Edwin wondered.

"Because she took on the whole look overnight. It's usually a long process…unless of course you were in the middle of it before you were interrupted. Then it's perfectly acceptable," Nora answered.

"So, do you know what you're going to wear tomorrow?" Lizzie questioned, changing the subject.

"I have an idea, yes," Casey answered as she took a bite of her food.

"Well, here's an idea: why don't you stop yammering about some moronic boy and let other people talk for a change," Derek commented. Before he knew what had happened, Casey had thrown a spoonful of mashed potatoes in his face.

"Hey!" he protested angrily.

"Sorry. Slipped," she innocently apologized. Meanwhile, Tristan and his father were having their own dinner.

"So Tristan, you seem a lot more chipper," Mr. DuGray noted.

"Dad, Sir Sparrow is **the** best school," Tristan raved.

'This morning you thought it was going to be lame. What changed?" Mr. DuGray wondered.

"Casey's there," Tristan reported.

"'Casey'?" Mr. DuGray echoed. "As in---"

"The Mary I was trying to attract? Yes," Tristan answered with a nod.

"So, what are your plans?" Mr. DuGray questioned.

"Well, I remember where I left off, so…" Tristan ended with a shrug.

"But what if she starts over? You don't want to look like you're rushing her," his father reminded him.

"Come on, Dad. It's **my** Mary. I know her better than anyone," the boy objected.

"You knew her back **then**. She could've completely changed since," the man stated.

"Not if the glances she kept throwing at me today are any indication," he chuckled. The man just shook his head.

"What am I going to do with you?" he murmured. Tristan just laughed again as he got up and headed for his room. The next morning, Casey and Tristan each picked out an outfit that stated how they felt about the other. Then, Tristan came out of his room.

"Wow. You're more than ready," Mr. DuGray noted.

"You think she'll like it?" Tristan asked nervously.

"You look very nice, son. She'll love it," Mr. DuGray told him. Then, "Come on. I'll drive you to school." Tristan grinned, grabbed a pop tart from the cupboard and followed his father into the car. At her house, Casey frantically put the finishing touches on her outfit.

"Casey! If you don't come down, you won't have time to grab something to go!" her mother called.

"Okay, Mom! I'm almost already!" Casey acknowledged. She quickly finished, grabbed her book bag, and then came downstairs.

"Finally. What took you so long Sp---" Derek's annoyed question stuck in his throat when he saw her outfit.

"Whoa. Punk 'n' disorderly," Lizzie grinned.

"You look cool!" Marti enthused.

"Wow. You're almost like a---**babe**," Edwin breathed.

"Thanks, guys," Casey grinned, as she went into the cabinets and grabbed a granola bar. George stammered.

"Nora!" he finally managed to yell.

"Ready to go, Sweetie?" Nora asked, coming in from the living room.

"Nora, we have a bit of a problem," George told her.

"What are you talking about, George? Casey looks fine," Nora stated. "But we really need to go, or we're all going to be late," she continued.

"Hey, it's cool. I'm ready to bounce," Casey answered. With that, she headed for the car, Lizzie and Marti. Derek and Edwin stared at each other.

"'Bounce'?" they mouthed, and then followed as George went to his own car. When they arrived at Sir Sparrow, Casey quickly got out of the car and headed up the steps. Inside, Emily was at her locker while Sam and Ralph were talking and Max was talking with his girlfriend Amy. Suddenly, there was a wolf whistle. Surprised, the boys and Emily turned around and their jaws dropped.

"Casey?" Emily asked in surprise.

"Hey, Em," Casey greeted, walking up to her friend.

"What is up with the Peyton Sawyer look?" Emily wondered. Casey looked at her outfit which consisted of black jeans, a shirt that read THE CURE, and black hoop earrings.

"I de-Mary-ed myself," Casey answered flipping a piece of wavy hair over shoulder. "And Tristan loves the Cure," she added.

"Speaking of Tristan. Check out the turn around," Emily noted. Casey turned around to see Tristan who was wearing tan slacks and a nice buttoned up shirt. Instead of his usual gelled back style, his hair was neatly combed and tucked into place. She swallowed noisily as he came up.

"Well, looks like we had the same idea," he noted.

"Yeah, looks like," she agreed. The warning bell rang and they all went to class.


	4. Competition

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

My Shangri-la: Thanks. Heck, yeah! She rocks! I'm semi-addicted. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Cherryblossomjen: Thanks. Glad you think so. Hey, that's cool. Sorry for any confusion.

Princetongirl: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Sailor-Lit: Thanks. Not exactly, more like inspired by the other two shows. Okey-doke.

Thugalet: Well, I don't know. I don't want to enable a sick habit. Lol. Enjoy.

DISCLAIMER

Okay, I seem to have inadvertently caused some confusion among you guys because I've gotten reviews praising a OTH, GG, and LWD crossover. I apologize. This is not a crossover whatsoever. Tristan and Chilton are inspired by Gilmore Girls, and I have made him a mix of Tristan and Lucas from OTH, but mostly Tristan. Again, I apologize for the confusion. Belongs to Disney, Canadian Television, and Amy Sherman-Palladino. I only own the plot.

By the third period, the whole school was buzzing with the news of Casey's strange outfit.

"Maybe she's sick. Do you think she's sick?" Kendra Rawlings asked in concern.

"I don't know. It **is** kinda weird, but he is hot. Maybe she's just trying to attract him," Amy Cummings answered.

"But Casey's always been this independent person. Why would she change that for some guy?" Kendra questioned.

"That's a good question," Amy agreed. As they continued to talk, Casey went to her locker, where she began putting her books away.

"Okay, so what's going on with you?" a voice demanded. Casey looked to see Derek.

"What do you want?" Casey questioned.

"Some answers. I mean, you dress up in some ridiculous outfit that Nora lets you just walk out of the house in and you use language that's not normal for you and---" Derek began.

"Okay, 1. I still look perfectly modest, 2. I've used the word 'bounce' in the context that you're referring to before and 3. This is none of your business," Casey interrupted as she continued to put her books away.

"Casey look, I'm just saying---" Derek's voice trailed off as someone suddenly knocked Casey's books out of her hands.

"James!" she exclaimed, turning to face the newcomer.

"You need to lighten up a little, Mary," Tristan told her.

"Oh, and maybe you could learn to buckle down, James," Casey said.

"Hey, come on. You're always studying so hard. It's really not fair what you're doing to me," Tristan stated as he trailed his fingers up her arm.

"Doing what? Are you forgetting that I'm a Mary?" she reminded with a slight laugh.

"Well, maybe this James wants this Mary," he answered. They leaned in towards each other and to Derek's surprise, they began kissing passionately.

"Um, Casey?" he asked. They continued, seemingly not hearing him. Finally, they pulled apart.

"Wow."

"That was---"

"Amazing."

"Come on, Mare. Let's get you to your next class." With that, she bent down and picked up her books, and the two walked off. At lunch, the two got some food and sat down at a table. Almost immediately, Amy came up to them.

"Can I help you?" Tristan asked.

"Hi. My name's Amy," Amy introduced herself.

"I'm Tristan," Tristan responded.

"Nice to meet you. So, how do you know Casey?" Amy responded, putting a hand on his arm. _Oh, wow. He's strong_, she thought to herself, and she began to unconsciously pet him.

"Mary and I went to sibling schools. She went to Fletcher and I went to Chilton," Tristan answered, as he tried to discreetly pull his arm away.

"Hey, her name's Casey. Learn it," Amy defended.

"Amy, it's okay. Mary's a nickname. Tristan's called me that for years," Casey responded. "And why are you petting him? He's not a dog" she continued.

"Oops. Sorry," Amy said with a nervous laugh.

"It's okay," Tristan snickered as Emily came up unnoticed.

"Amy, don't you already have a boyfriend? I think his name is Max," she said, approaching the table.

"I can't help it. He's so strong," Amy replied.

"Um, okay," Casey said. Then, she stood up.

"Well, I gotta go. Hey, why don't you guys sit with us tomorrow?" Amy invited.

"Yeah, sure," Casey agreed.

"Cool," Emily said at the same time. She walked away.

"See ya, Amy," Tristan called as she walked away. Meanwhile, Sam, Derek, and Ralph watched as the trio talked and laughed.

"What do you think is up with **that**?" Ralph wondered.

"Good question," Sam agreed.

"Who cares?" Derek queried. "The guy had his chance to be popular and he blew it. It's time we just let him be," he continued.

"Dude, talk about sour grapes," Sam laughed. Just then, another of the cheerleaders, Chrissy Summers, walked up to them and sat herself in Tristan's lap.

"Hi. I'm Chrissy. I'm a cheerleader," she introduced herself, stroking his face.

"Wow, bold," Emily muttered.

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Tristan asked, pushing the girl off.

"Most guys are," Chrissy answered. She leaned in to him.

"What do you say we get out of here and make some memories?" she whispered in his ear.

"Sorry. You're not my type," Tristan told her, once again pushing her away.

"Fine. Hang with the geeks. See if I care," she huffed as she stood up and flounced back to the cheerleader table.

"See ya, Magdalene," Tristan called. Casey laughed. Emily looked at them in confusion.

"I don't get it," she told them.

"'Mary' is what you guys call a goody-goody and 'Magdalene' is what you would call someone who's easy," her friend explained.

"Okay, ouch," the girl stated. Then, "What's James for?"

"James Dean or a bad boy," Tristan and Casey chorused.

"Whoa. You guys do that often?" Emily asked. Casey and Tristan laughed.

"Not very often," Tristan assured. They laughed again and continued to talk. From the cheerleader table, Chrissy watched the table where Tristan, Emily, and Casey sat. Her eyes narrowed. That little geek didn't deserve to have such a great-looking guy fawn all over her. One way or the other, she'd make him so popular that he'd forget all about little Miss Goody-Good Casey. The bell rang and with a satisfied smirk, she got up, threw her lunch away, and walked to her next class.


	5. Attraction And Family Dinner

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

.S-N-B: Thanks, here you go. Can you tell me what confused so I can clear it up for you? Thanks. Okey-doke.

Princetongirl: Thanks, hope this is soon enough.

Corrine: Hey, long time, no see. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Sailor-Lit: Thanks. Ha, ha. Cool. Here you go.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television, Disney, and Amy Sherman-Palladino. I only own the plot.

Tristan blew out a breath and tried to concentrate on the teacher. However, his mind was on a certain brunette. _Man, I can't believe she's actually still interested_, he thought to himself. It looked like the private school social structure had once again come in handy. Meanwhile, from the back of the room, Chrissy stared at him longingly. One of her friends nudged her arm.

"Are you checkin' out the total hottie?" she questioned.

"Yeah," came the confirmation. "Too bad he went for the geek," she continued.

"Lame. What does he see in her?" her friend wondered.

"Apparently they're old friends or something," Chrissy replied.

"So, what are you going to do to snag him?" her friend wondered.

"I don't know yet. But I'll have a plan by tomorrow," Chrissy responded. Soon after, the class was done and they went to the next one, which was gym. They quickly changed into their P.E. clothes and went to the gym.

"So Chrissy, I hear you have a thing for the new kid," Kendra commented casually as they stretched. Yeah, she and Casey didn't hang out all that much, but they were still friends. And friends looked out for each other.

"Yeah, he's hot," Chrissy answered. "I just can't believe he went for that geek, MacDonald," she continued.

"So Casey's studious. It doesn't make her a geek," Kendra defended.

"Yeah. Hello? I study a lot too," Amy added.

"Are you kidding me? She's like the biggest loser in the school. Everyone knows she's a total embarrassment to Derek, and that he's had to sacrifice a lot for her and her loser family," Chrissy continued.

"Hey! Don't about them like that! You don't even know them," Amy defended.

"Yeah. She's a sweet girl, and she cares about others," Kendra agreed.

"Whatever. Well, Tristan seems to like the punk look, so I'll just dress like that to snag him and show Casey what happens when a loser tries to be cool," Chrissy said dismissively.

"Yeah. Casey's such a geek. Did you see what she was wearing two days ago? She looked like she was stuck in the middle ages or something," one Chrissy's friends giggled.

"Bess, history's not your strong suit is it?" Kendra asked.

"What are you talking about?" Bess asked in confusion.

"Never mind," Kendra sighed. After the last class, Casey was walking down the hallway when she was grabbed from behind. Her yelp was muffled by a hand.

"Sorry, Mare," Tristan apologized.

"You can snag me any time," Casey said softly and then they began to kiss. There was the sound of someone clearing their throat. With a groan, the two pulled apart and Tristan laughed at the disapproving look thrown at them. At the end of the day, Casey, Tristan, and Derek traipsed into the MacDonald/Venturi household.

"Hey, kids," George greeted.

"Hi, George," Casey responded. "This is Tristan, the boy I was telling you about yesterday," she continued. "Tristan, this is my stepfather, George Venturi."

"It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Venturi," Tristan said, shaking George's hand.

"Uh, nice to meet you too," George answered, looking from the boy's outfit to his stepdaughter's. _This is the boy she was trying to impress?_ he thought to himself. He didn't look a thing like he had imagined.

"So, Tristan, are you staying for dinner?" Nora invited.

"Uh, let me talk to my dad first," Tristan answered.

"Okay," George agreed. Tristan pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. Then, "Dad, Casey's mother just invited me to dinner. Is that okay?" He listened for a few minutes. "I can? Thanks." He hung up with a grin.

"We're good to go," he announced. Casey laughed and gave a small clap. When it was time, Tristan and Casey helped set the table. Then, George and Nora called the others to the table and they all sat down.

"So Tristan, I take it you're the one responsible for Casey's change in clothes style?" George asked.

"George!" Casey exclaimed.

"Yes," Tristan confirmed at the same time. "It's okay, Casey. Any good father or father figure would be concerned," he added. "Don't worry, Sir. Our courting process only has a few more rituals to go through and then we'll be done," he assured.

"Providing that Magdalene doesn't get in the way," Casey added, causing Tristan to scoff and shake his head.

"Huh?" the Venturis questioned.

"Oh, some girl's taken a liking to me. A Chrissy something-or-other," Tristan responded dismissively.

"Chrissy Summers? Yeah, I saw her. That was pretty bold, man," Derek commented.

"It was ridiculous. She's **so** not Tristan's type," Casey stated.

"Why don't you let him speak for himself, Spacey?" Derek sneered.

"Man, no wonder Casey can't stand you. You're a complete jerk," Tristan commented with a shake of his head. Then, "So Mare, how do you put up with him?"

"Oh, I just remember that he's a public school boy and that means he's merely a poser James rather than a true James," Casey responded.

"Hey!" Derek protested as Tristan laughed. After dinner, the boy helped with the dishes. He glanced at her. _Man, she's gotten even more gorgeous than I remember. And she looks totally hot in that Cure shirt_, he thought to himself. Finally, it was time for the boy to go home. George took him in station wagon. In the kitchen, Casey looked at her mother nervously.

"Well, how'd he do?" she questioned.

"Oh, I like him, Casey. I completely approve," the woman assured. Casey squealed in delight, gave her mother a hug, and then ran upstairs, where she started searching through her closet for something to wear. As they drove down the street, Tristan gave George directions on how to get to his house.

"So Tristan, it's apparent that you have feelings for Casey," George commented.

"Ah, here it comes," Tristan stated knowingly. George looked at him. "The 'Casey's a good girl and if you hurt her, I'll hunt you and put you down like a rabid dog' speech," he continued. George stammered.

"Well, uh---that's not quite what I was going to say, but yes. That'd be the gist of it," he finally stated. Then, "You've sat through this conversation before?"

"No, not really. I just know dads," Tristan answered. "Casey keeps in touch with some of her friends from Fletcher and she talks about you all the time. She's really happy you're in her life," he continued. George pulled the car over and cut the engine.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong, Dennis was a great guy and all, but all Casey ever wanted was someone who was there for her, and from what I've heard and seen here tonight, that's you. Your opinion really matters to her," the boy told him. For a moment, the man couldn't speak. He had had no idea. He loved Casey and Lizzie like they were his own of course, but to hear that he was held in such high esteem was overwhelming. Then, he cleared his throat.

"Um, how about some music for the rest of the ride?" he suggested.

"Uh, yeah, sure. As long as it's none of that namby-pamby pop princess stuff," the boy agreed. George laughed and turned on the radio. Tristan gave the rest of the directions and a short time later, they were at his house. George turned off the radio.

"All right. Here you are," he stated.

"Thanks for the wonderful night, Mr. Venturi. Hopefully, we can do it again real soon," the boy told him. Then, he jogged up to his front door, which opened to reveal his father. George watched as the other man slung his arm around his son in a friendly fashion and they went inside, talking. With a soft smile, George turned the radio back on and headed home.


	6. Gifts

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Pharies: Thanks. Here you go.

Princetongirl: thanks, here you go.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television, Disney, and Amy Sherman-Palladino. I only own the plot.

The next morning, Tristan was at his locker sorting out his books when Chrissy walked up to him.

"So, I was thinking about it, and I decided to forgive you for little lapse of judgment yesterday," she said, cuddling up to him.

"The only person around here with a lapse in judgment is you," he told her as he ignored her advances.

"Okay, so I guess I **was** a bit forward yesterday," Chrissy allowed.

"'A bit forward'?" Tristan repeated with a small laugh.

"Well, it's not like you're actually into Casey. I mean, she's such a geek. It was completely obvious you were just humoring her yesterday," Chrissy commented, putting a hand on his shoulder and leaning into him.

"I'm going to be late for class," Tristan said, grabbing the books he needed and heading in the direction of his first class. Chrissy pouted slightly, but also went to her class. Tristan walked in and took a seat next to Emily. He unzipped his backpack and took a small box out.

"What is that?" Emily wondered.

"Present for Casey," Tristan answered as Derek walked in.

"A present for Casey? Are you really that lame?" he asked.

"I'm gonna let that go since I don't expect a public school boy to understand private school courting rituals," came the comment.

"By the way, where **is** Casey anyway?" Emily asked.

"I have no clue. One minute she's right behind, the next minute she makes like the invisible woman…which isn't necessarily a bad thing," Derek replied. There was a mocking laugh.

"Oh, you're so funny, Derek…**not**," she told him and took a seat next to Tristan, her backpack touching his.

"Got somethin' for you, Mare," he stated, handing her the box, which she immediately opened. She and Emily gasped.

"Oh, Tristan. It's beautiful," Casey said, holding up the necklace. Tristan took the jewelry from her and clasped it around her neck. "Thanks, Tris," she said. Then, "Oh! Before I forget, I have something for you too." With that, she dug into her backpack and pulled out a walkman with headphones and handed it to him.

"You made me a mix," Tristan realized.

"It's all of the songs that make me think of you," Casey told him. He put the headphones on and pressed play. Then, he chuckled.

"What? What'd she pick?" Emily wondered.

"Probably something lame and cheesy," Derek jeered. Tristan put one of the headphones to Emily's ear so she could hear as well.

_Well I fought so hard_

_You had fought for my life_

_But you threw it away (Yeah, you did)_

_You know, just like that._

_So now I'm a prisoner_

_Prisoner of your heart_

_You are my conqueror _

_Conqueror of my heart_

"What's that from?" Emily wondered.

"It's Prisoner by Dokken. They're not as punk as I normally like, but they got a good beat," Tristan replied.

"Yeah, he's more of a Nofx fan," Casey added.

"Who?" Emily asked. Then, Tristan let out another laugh as Emily's face became shocked.

"I've got pockets full of Kleenex and lint and holes. Where everything important to me seems to fall right down my leg and on the floor, my closest friend linoleum," Tristan sang.

"Dude, that song doesn't even make sense," Derek commented. Then, they heard the door open and Tristan quickly shut off the walkman and put it in his backpack.

"Love my gift, Mare," he said hurriedly, and then turned to face the front of the room. Casey laughed and also turned her attention to the teacher. Derek rolled his eyes. He had no idea what those two were doing and he really didn't care. Let them be dorky and weird. After the class, they all went their separate ways. To Tristan's chagrin, he found himself in the same class as Chrissy.

"Hi, Tristan," she cooed, putting a hand on his arm. He just looked at her with a raised brow.

"Hi, Chrissy," he said, and made himself busy. Kendra just shook her head.

"Chrissy, give it up. He's not into you," she advised as the teacher came in and immediately started the class.

"Hey Tristan, I heard on the radio that the White Stripes are playing nearby this week. Do you want me see if I can get us tickets?" the other girl questioned in his ear.

"No," Tristan said, leaning forward.

"What?" Chrissy asked in confusion. "Come on. It'll be fun and we can party afterwards," she enticed, running her fingers up his back. With a growl of irritation, he turned around.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I'm not into you, I'm into Casey. Okay?" Tristan questioned. Chrissy pulled back in confusion.

"What? That geek?" she asked. "Whatever," she said as the teacher walked over to them.

"Do you two want to take this outside?" she demanded.

"No. But may I have a different seat please?" Tristan requested.

"I'll switch with him," a boy offered. The teacher allowed them to do so. _Man, public school girls_, Tristan thought to himself with a shake of his head. Things sure were different in this setting. In private school, other people would realize that by this stage that they had no chance of coming between the two who were courting each other. The whole rest of the morning was like this. Tristan couldn't go anywhere without Chrissy seemingly just popping up and making a move on him. Tristan let out a groan and walked away from Chrissy and headed for the cafeteria.

"Hey, man," Sam greeted, falling into step with him.

"Oh. Hey. You're a friend of Casey's stepbrother, right?" Tristan recalled.

"Yeah, my name's Sam," Sam confirmed.

"Listen, I've seen you around and you seem like a cool guy and all, but I'm into Casey, and---" Tristan began.

"No, it's cool, man. Casey and I are friends," Sam interrupted.

"Oh. Okay," Tristan said.

"We actually used to date," Sam continued.

"Okay, now this is just awkward," Tristan commented.

"Oh, no! We broke up a **long** time ago. We're just friends now," Sam assured.

"Oh, good. I mean---that this won't be awkward for you," Tristan stated.

"So, what's the deal with Chrissy?" Sam wondered.

"Oh, she's just a Magdalene that has the hots for me," Tristan responded with a roll of his eyes. "I'm not into her," he continued as they headed into the cafeteria. They had just sat down at a table when Chrissy came over, sat in Tristan's lap and kissed passionately on the lips.

"Whoa," Sam said. From her spot in the cafeteria entrance, Casey watched the display with flashing eyes.

"Case, are you okay?" Emily questioned.

"Oh, this is **so** game on," Casey declared.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I used Prisoner by Dokken and Linoleum by Nofx. I don't know the length of either song, so I apologize for any inaccuracies.


	7. Game On

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television, Disney, and Amy Sherman-Palladino. I only own the plot.

Before Emily could stop her, Casey marched over to where Chrissy was still kissing Tristan, who by this time had overcome his shock and was in the process of pushing the girl away.

"Hey, James," she greeted, pulling the other girl away. Then, she put her fingers in his hair and started tousling it.

"You forgettin' I'm a James?" he queried.

"Maybe this Mary wants this James," she told him, tracing a cheekbone with a finger. He chuckled and leaned upward so that his mouth was near her ear.

"Game on, huh?" he whispered huskily.

"You know it," she murmured. He kissed her neck and she sank down into his lap. Then, they started kissing passionately. Someone cleared their throat and the two broke apart hurriedly.

"Hi, Principal Lassiter," Casey greeted nervously.

"Casey MacDonald. Why am I not surprised at your adolescent behavior?" he queried in disapproval.

"Uh, Sir. It was my fault. This was my idea," Tristan interjected.

"Fine. I'll see you both in detention," he told them. Then, he walked away.

"Ooooh. Sorry, Mary," Tristan apologized.

"I'm not. I'll show that little public school Magdalene what it's like to mess with a private school Mary," Casey declared, her eyes flashing. Tristan chuckled.

"Oh, I don't pity her," he commented as the girl took his food and began eating it. Casey was only able to get in a few bites before they had to go to class. With a groan and a final bite of food, she walked off, with the boy of her affections by her side. After school, Casey and Tristan headed for detention.

"Casey, what am I supposed to tell Dad and Nora?" Derek wondered.

"Tell them I had a situation with a Magdalene. Mom will understand," Casey replied. Then, before her stepbrother could respond, she walked away.

"How could she understand when **I** don't even understand?" he griped to himself, not noticing when Sam and Ralph walked up.

"Dude, what's up with Casey? She's totally not acting like herself," Sam commented.

"Yeah. She's gotten hot!" Ralph raved.

"Ew! That's my stepsister," Derek responded. Then, "Let's go. I'm gonna have a heck of a time explaining this to Dad and Nora," he sighed. Then, they walked off. Casey was assigned a desk in the front and Tristan was placed in the back.

"Wait right here as I go get the man responsible for you in here. Now, don't get any ideas. He'll be watching you at all times," Principal Lassiter told them. Then, he stomped out of the room.

"Is it just me or is he wound a bit tight?" Tristan questioned.

"Oh, it's not just you," Casey assured. They laughed, but fell silent when the man came back with the teacher assigned to watch them.

"Paul?" Casey asked in surprise.

"Casey?" Paul repeated in the same tone. _What's __**she**__ doing here?_ he wondered. It had to be a mistake.

"Um, Principal Lassiter, I think there may have been some sort of mix up---" he began to say.

"Not unless she tripped and fell on that boy's lips right in front of everyone in the cafeteria," the principal interrupted. Paul fell silent, but looked at Casey in surprise. Casey had been caught making out with this boy in the cafeteria? Casey had been caught making out with a boy in the cafeteria **period**? That didn't make sense. "Now I'll be back in two hours. In the meantime Mr. Grieby, make sure they don't break any more rules," he continued, and then stomped out again. Paul grabbed a chair and sat down in front of Casey.

"Casey is there something you'd like to talk about?" he asked.

"There's not much to say, Paul. Chrissy Summers made a move on Tristan, and I showed her that if she wanted a fight, she'd get one," Casey replied.

"Okay, um…but your clothes for the last couple of days---" Paul continued.

"What about 'em? Tristan likes the Fray," Casey stated. "Well, not as much as he likes the Cure, but…" Casey's voice trailed off.

"Casey, you shouldn't try to change yourself for a boy. I mean, look at what happened with Max," Paul pointed out.

"You and Max? You went from Sam to Max?" Tristan asked incredulously.

"How do you know about Sam?" Casey wondered, turning to face him.

"We got to talking and he told me," Tristan replied.

"Oh," Casey said. Then, "Paul. I'm not changing myself. I'm just telling Tristan that I'm interested in him. It's a private school thing."

"Yeah, after a couple more rituals…it'll be clear." Paul looked at the two in surprise and confusion. What exactly was going on here? With a sigh, Casey grabbed her backpack, took out her homework, and got started on it. Tristan let out a small laugh. His girl. But that's what he loved about her. That she was so dedicated to her studies, and she didn't care what anybody said about her. Paul watched as the boy stared at her. She bit her lip in concentration, and he groaned.

"So not fair," he complained. She chuckled and his jaw dropped. "You're doing this on purpose," he realized. She laughed again. "That's dirty, Mare. That's really dirty." Back at the MacDonald/Venturi household, Derek had just told them about Casey.

"She has detention because of this boy?" George repeated. Had he been wrong about him?

"Why?" Nora queried.

"I'm not sure. She used the name Magdalene when talking about a girl that tried to make a move on that guy Tristan, but---" Derek began to say.

"Oh, I get it. Game on," Nora interrupted.

"I don't understand," George said.

"Tristan and Casey are into each other, but someone tried to come between them and Casey showed that she was willing to fight for Tristan," Nora explained.

"Whatever. I'm going to my room," Derek said. Then, he ran upstairs. Two hours later, Casey showed up with Tristan by her side.

"Casey---" George began to say.

"I'll see you later," Tristan told her. They kissed and then he left. Casey turned to George.

"So, what's for dinner?"


	8. End Game

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television, Disney, and Amy Sherman-Palladino. I only own the plot. Got the idea for the locker makeover from One Tree Hill. One ref to The Bully Brothers. The song belongs to Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Tristan's lines are in bold, Casey's in italics, and both are mixed.

Over the next couple of days, Casey and Tristan continued their flirtation, the boy basically ignoring everything and anything Chrissy tried. Like when he found a box candy and discovered that it was from her and not from Casey, he placed them in the trash, or when she handed him an invitation to a party, he shook his head and gave it back just as Casey came up to them.

"Hey, Tris," she greeted.

"Hey, Pretty Girl. Ready for class?" he queried. She nodded and they went in. "So, how's your day been so far?" he queried.

"Pretty good," she replied. Then, at his look, "Honest! I just decided that I'm **not** going to let Chrissy get to me." He only chuckled. "What?" she asked.

"Knowing you, the next time she tries something, there's gonna be a smack down," he told her.

"Yeah. Probably," the girl admitted with a laugh. The teacher came in and they turned their attention towards her. Afterwards, Casey went to her locker and opened it. Her jaw dropped. It had been decorated with pictures of her and Tristan together from their time at private school and some pics of them alone.

"You like it?" a voice asked, coming up beside her.

"Oh, Tristan," she sighed, taking him by the waist. "Now I gotta figure out what to do for **you**," she commented.

"No rush," he assured. Then, they went to their next class. As they did so, Tristan caught sight of an interesting ad and took it down from the bulletin board.

"What have you got there?" Casey asked, as they sat down.

"Looks like there's an open mic night at a place called Smelly Nelly's," Tristan answered.

"You haven't been to Smelly Nelly's yet?" Casey queried. He shook his head. "Oh, I **have** to take you!"

"So, this open mic thing, you wanna do it?" he questioned.

"I don't know. I mean, the only couple of times I've sung were with Derek's band," she told him.

"Your stepbrother has a band?" he repeated. She nodded. Then, "Come on, Mare. It'll be fun. And I know the perfect song---the one we sang when we first realized we had feelings for each other." She laughed.

"Okay. Okay, I'll do it with you," she agreed.

"Yeah?" He put a hand on her cheek.

"Yeah. It sounds like fun." He leaned in---and quickly pulled away as the classroom door opened. The two put the items they needed for class on their desks as the other students and teacher walked in. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Casey turned her head to see Sam holding the same type of flier that Tristan had snagged.

"Hey, I know I probably have to run this by Derek and Ralph first, but do you wanna join D-Rock for open mic?" he asked.

"Sorry. Tristan and I already agreed to do a duet," she responded.

"Oh. Uh---that's okay," he answered in surprise.

"Thanks for thinking of me," she told him. The teacher looked at them pointedly, but said nothing as she continued her lecture. Casey and Tristan began taking notes as they focused on the topic. Tristan softly drummed his fingers in concentration and Casey let out a soft moan. Man, he was so hot when he was pulling a keener move! Hearing the slight sound, the boy turned his head to see the girl staring at him and he chuckled. It served her right for turning him on the other day. After their morning classes, was lunch. Casey got her food and headed for where Tristan was sitting. Chrissy, who was walking in the same direction, deliberately knocked her to the ground with her hip.

"Oh, look. Klutzilla strikes again," she smirked. Before she knew what had happened, Casey let out a growl and tackled her. She screamed as she fell to the ground. Sam and Max were getting their food when they heard the commotion.

"What's going on?" Sam wondered.

"I'm not sure. Let's check it out," Max answered and they moved closer as a crowd gathered around.

"What's going on?" Max asked Ralph.

"Chick fight," Ralph reported.

"What?" they chorused, and started moving through the crowd. Their shock deepened when they saw the fighters.

"Casey!" Both boys dropped their trays and pushed through the crowd, as Derek did the same.

"Casey, Casey, Casey, come on. Stop it," Sam said, as the two girls were separated. Casey tried to lunge at Chrissy, but Max tightened his grip

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. Will you cut it out?" he demanded.

"Oh, I'll cut something out all right," Casey snarled, glaring.

"Hey, whatever happened to violence isn't the answer?" Sam questioned.

"That was before this little Magdalene tried to horn in on my guy," Casey responded.

"You're just mad 'cause he's picking a woman over a girl," Chrissy sneered, breaking out of the grasp of the boy that held her.

"Who you callin' a girl?" Casey demanded, also getting loose.

"Mare, Mare, forget it. Just forget it. This Magdalene's not worth it," Tristan stated, getting in front of the girl.

"But she---" Tristan cut off the complaint by kissing Casey passionately. One of the teachers came through the crowd and tapped Casey on the shoulder. The two broke apart.

"What exactly is going on here?" the man asked.

"That little klutz knocked me down," Chrissy accused.

"Actually, Chrissy knocked Casey down," Sheldon said, coming through the mob. "It wasn't Casey's fault at all," he continued.

"But she attacked me," Chrissy objected.

"Attacked you? Casey MacDonald?" the teacher repeated.

"YES!" Chrissy insisted.

"Chrissy, the next time you make an accusation of that magnitude, try not to pick an honor student," the teacher advised. "I'll get the janitor," he continued.

"Okay people, move along. Nothing to see here," Derek declared. At this, everyone went about their business. When the day was through, Casey went home and reported what happened.

"I'm not sure if anyone from school called, but I just wanted you to be aware of it and that I'll take any punishment you give me," she said to her parents.

"Well, while I personally understand your perspective in this, I can't condone fighting at school. You're grounded for two weeks after open mic night," Nora stated.

"Okay," Casey agreed. She then went upstairs. A few nights later, the entire family went to Smelly Nelly's. Casey went to meet up with her new boyfriend while his father went to the table.

"So, grounded, huh?" Tristan questioned.

"Yeah. Two weeks after starting tomorrow," Casey replied.

"Sorry, 'bout that, Mare," Tristan said.

"Ah, well. It was worth it," Casey answered. They walked over to their table and sat down. As introductions were made, Casey pulled a wooden chest out of a large bag and handed it to Tristan.

"What is this?" he questioned.

"Open it and see," she responded. Curious, he did so. Inside was a collection of photos as well as various pages with words written on them.

"Case, these are your songs," he said in surprise.

"Well, I know you have plans to be like, the next Bruce Springsteen, and I thought maybe there was something in there you could use," she stated. Sally came up and announced the evening. There were comedians, storytellers, jugglers, and musicians. Finally, it was Tristan and Casey's turn. They went up on stage. As they got ready, Chrissy came up to them.

"Tristan, here's a little something to apologize for Klutzilla's delusions and to show you that I'm the girl for you," she stated, handing him a black necklace. She gave him a kiss, and then went to her seat. He made a face and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. Casey leaned in and kissed him roughly.

"We'll show her," she whispered in his ear after pulling away.

"Now welcome Casey and Tristan with a song by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts!" Sally exclaimed. Everyone clapped. Tristan started singing; pretending like was bored and irritated.

**Midnight gettin' uptight where are you  
You said you'd meet me now it's quarter to two  
I know I'm hangin' but I'm still wantin' you**

At this, he moved towards Casey, who pulled away.

_Hey Jack It's a fact they're talkin' in town  
I turn my back and you're messin' around  
_

She pulled out a necklace that had been given to Tristan by Chrissy and threw at the table where the girl was sitting. She glared at them.

_I'm not really jealous don't like lookin' like a clown_

They turned to face each other.

_**I think of you ev'ry night and day  
You took my heart then you took my pride away**_

I hate myself for loving you  
Can't break free from the things that you do  
I wanna walk but I run back to you that's why  
I hate myself for loving you

The crowd roared and started clapping in time with the music. Tristan took a step back.

**Daylight spent the night without you  
But I've been dreamin' 'bout the lovin' you do  
I won't be as angry 'bout the hell you put me through**

Casey walked up to him.

_Hey man betcha you can treat me right  
You just don't know what you was missin' last night  
I wanna see you beggin, say forget it just for spite  
_

As she sang, she traced a cheekbone with her finger before moving away.

_**I think of you ev'ry night and day  
You took my heart then you took my pride away**_

I hate myself for loving you  
Can't break free from the things that you do  
I wanna walk but I run back to you, that's why  
I hate myself for loving you

I think of you ev'ry night and day  
You took my heart then you took my pride away

I hate myself for loving you  
Can't break free from the things that you do  
I wanna walk but I run back to you that's why  
I hate myself for loving you

I think of you ev'ry night and day  
You took my heart then you took my pride away

I hate myself for loving you  
Can't break free from the things that you do  
I wanna walk but I run back to you that's why  
I hate myself for loving you  
I hate myself  
For loving you  
I hate myself  
For loving you  
I hate myself  
For loving you  
I hate myself  
I hate myself for loving you

They finished to wild cheers. Casey grabbed Tristan's shoulders, pulled him close, and kissed him passionately. Tristan made a noise of surprise, but reciprocated her actions. Sally laughed nervously, and then cleared her throat. Surprised, the two parted and looked at the girl.

"Sorry," they apologized sheepishly, and then went to sit with the MacDonald/Venturi family. Tristan's hand made it's way into Casey's as they sat back and watched the rest of the show.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE

The performance was inspired by a Dawson's Creek clip on youtube.


End file.
